Nardcore
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Nardcore is a hardcore punk movement that came out of Southern California in the early '80s, originating at Silver Strand Beach.
The name is a reference to the Oxnard, California hardcore punk scene. This community, sixty miles west of Los Angeles, California, was the spawning ground for many legends of the hardcore punk movement during the early '80s. The area was such a hotbed of punk and skate bands that their sound became known as "nardcore." The Nardcore symbol, a popular tattoo, was created by Ismael Hernandez of Dr. Know on a "PeeChee" folder when he was in school. It's depicted in the picture to the right as the "o" in Nardcore.
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[edit] The bands
The main (original) bands associated with the Nardcore scene included:
- Stäläg 13
- Dr. Know
- Ill Repute
- Agression
- False Confession
- R.K.L. (Rich Kids on L.S.D.)
- Scared Straight
- Habeas Corpus
- The Rotters
- Rat Pack
- A.F.U. (Always Fucked Up)
- Ground Zero
Much of the credit for putting Nardcore on the map must also be given to Mystic Records and its founder Doug Moody. While there has been some question as to how fairly it treated its artists financially, this label was responsible not only for launching these bands onto vinyl, but also for tirelessly promoting the Nardcore scene as a whole.
Some of the "new school" bands that were a part of the later Nardcore (and nearby areas) scene (90's and early 00's) included the now broken-up:
- Missing 23rd
- In Control
- No Motiv
- Caught Off Guard
Current bands include:
- Keep Fighting
- The Mother Fucking Arsonics Bitch
- California Redemption
- The Last Priority
- Retaliate
- BLACKOUT!
- Citizens
- Annihilation Time
- Vendetta
- Heavy Artillery
- Punk Rawk Elvis
- G.G. ELVIS and the T.C.P Band
- Dogends
- The Robert Pina Experience
[edit] Nardcore today
Today a few of the original Nardcore bands are still performing, like Dr. Know. Agression has disbanded after the deaths of two of its original members, Mark Hickey (2000) and Henry Knowles (2002). In summer of 2002, a "Henry Knowles Memorial Show" featuring the "Nardcore All-Stars" took place.
It is not known whether or not Rich Kids on LSD will break up for good after their original drummer Richard Anthony Manzullo, otherwise known as "Bomer", died on December 12th, 2005. RKL frontman Jason Sears died in January 2006, thus cementing the possibility that the band is broken up for good now.
After a short tour of Hawaii with the Oahu band 8mm Overdose, Ill Repute disbanded in July of 2004 & briefly reformed again (minus founding guitarist Tony Cortez) to tour Hawaii in 2006 with 8mm Overdose. They are playing again December 16 at the Alpine in Ventura. Several original Scared Straight members are still performing under the re-formed band name Ten Foot Pole. One prominent member of False Confession went on to form Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. Another False Confession member, Harry, became Harry Drumdini, drummer for The Cramps. A member of Stäläg 13, Dave Casillas, had a stint as guitarist with NOFX. Oxnard locals Gilbert, Jaime (who drew album covers for Dr. Know and other Nardcore bands) and Mario Hernandez went on to create the long-running comic book series Love and Rockets. Many of Jaime's stories revolve around the 70s/80s California punk scene; the Nardcore symbol is occasionally seen as graffiti in his comics.
In summer of 2004, a "Nardcore 20th Anniversary Show" took place and featured new and old acts as: Ill Repute, Dr. Know, Big Bob's Agression Session, A.F.U., Stäläg 13 Sing Along, Youth Brigade, The Last Priority, The Warriors, Keep Fighting, California Redemption, Chritchen, Vendetta, Caught Off Guard, The Mother Fucking Arsonics Bitch, Vengeance, False Confession, R.K.L., Rat Pack, Burning Dog, Habeas Corpus, Blackout.
Dr. Know has been playing again since 1998 with two original members and are still going strong. They have been playing gigs all over the place, like Canada, Hawaii, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Texas and more. They played a show in Tompkins Square Park, New York, with Choking Victim, Millions of Dead Cops, Team Spider and other bands. They also performed at CBGB's on September 8, donating the money to the Katrina victims. Dr. Know has continued to perform and have shows booked through 2007 and a new album being recorded.
In April 2005 there was a CD Released by Let Them Eat Records entitled "Welcome to the Neighborhood." The CD features old school pros like Dr. Know and Ill Repute, but also featured Ventura County's newer bands like Keep Fighting, The Last Priority, and California Redemption. Dr. Know headlined the release party along with Katkiller, an Agression tribute band.
In November of 2006 Agression, with only one remaining original member released the album Grind Kings which features new material alongside re-recorded versions of old Agression originals.
[edit] The "Nardcore"-related albums
- We Got Power, Party or Go Home - Compilation LP (Mystic,1983)
- Nardcore, Compilation LP (Mystic,1984)
- Party Animal, We got Power II - Compilation LP (Mystic,1984)
- Covers, Compilation LP (Mystic,1984)
- Mystic Super Seven Sampler #1, Compilation LP (Mystic,1984)
- Mystic Sampler #1, Compilation LP (Mystic)
- Mystic Sampler #2, Compilation LP (Mystic)
- Mystic Sampler #3, Compilation LP (Mystic)
- It Came From Slimey Valley, Compilation LP (Mystic, 1983)
- Return to Slimey Valley, Compilation LP (Mystic)
- Another Year (In Control), CD (Indecision Records, 2001)
- Breaking the Curse (In Control), CD (Six Weeks Records, 2001)
- Truth Hurts (In Control), CD (Indecision Records, 2003)
- Welcome to the Neighborhood, Compilation CD (Let Them Eat Records, 2005)
- Break Your Face, Compilation CD (Face First Records,2005)
- Coup D'Etat (Retaliate), CD/LP (Indecision Records, 2006)
